The Grain Quality Grading and Certification Project, which aims at improving the quality of grains, was launched in Accra last Thursday to enhance the cereal value chain development in the country.
The three-year initiative project is being implemented by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the School of Agriculture of the University of Ghana and will seek collaboration from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Ghana Commodities Exchange (GCX), the Ghana Grains Council (GGC), and other private institutions in the grain value chain.
The Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Fund (KOAFEC) is providing financial support for the project.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo, launching it in Accra last Thursday said there was the need to establish rules, quality grades and standards and certification in Ghana's grain markets to govern and foster national and regional grain transaction and strengthen commodity exchange and food safety.
"It is in this light that we expect the grain quality grading and certification project to yield several positive results including the empowering of smallholders in market negotiations, allowing them to receive higher prices for higher quality grain, while encouraging the uptake of technologies that increase production and resilience of grain suitable for high-value processing and exportation," he added.
He revealed that the research team for the project would build capacity in Ghana, through extensive outreach aimed at a wide range of stakeholders including farmers, brokers, processors, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the GCX.
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A team member of the project, Dr Charles Yaw Okyere, noted how the issue of food safety and quality was of importance and must be taken seriously to protect consumers.
He also expressed worry about the high levels of aflatoxins in many grains in various open markets across the country adding that, it was very important for consumers to also demand for quality when it came to food safety and security.
The Project Lead and Senior Research Economist at the AfDB, Dr Francis H. Kemeze, said promoting grain quality across African markets is important to the AfDB, hence the decision to invest in the project.
Africa, he said loses more than $ 600 million each year due to the high levels of aflatoxins in maize grown by farmers on the continent, adding that big processing companies who could buy grains like maize in large quantities from farmers resort to import instead, "because they were forced by international regulations to meet certain standards."
Dr Kemeze anticipated that once the quality of grain can be adequately revealed to buyers, consumers would be willing to pay premium prices for the high quality grain.
